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How to Make and Post Polls in Discord Server Channels

Discord is a popular communication platform that allows users to create servers and channels for text, voice, and video chatting. One useful feature in Discord is the ability to create polls that server members can vote on. Polls are a great way to get feedback, make decisions as a group, or just have some fun.

Creating a Poll

Creating a poll in Discord is easy. Here are the steps:

  1. Open the Discord channel where you want the poll to appear. This can be a text or voice channel.
  2. Type /poll followed by the question or prompt you want to ask. For example: /poll What game should we play tonight?
  3. After the question, list the options members can vote on. Separate options with a pipe (|) symbol. For example: /poll What game should we play tonight? | Minecraft | Fortnite | Call of Duty
  4. Press Enter to create the poll.

The poll will instantly appear in the channel as an embedded message that members can react to with emojis to cast their votes.

Formatting Poll Options

When creating poll options, keep these formatting tips in mind:

  • Use pipe symbols – Separate each option with a pipe (|) symbol. Do not use commas or other punctuation between options.
  • Keep options concise – Try to keep each option short and concise. Limit options to 1-2 short sentences or phrases.
  • Allow spaces – It’s okay to include spaces in options after pipe symbols.
  • Use up to 10 options – Discord polls allow for up to 10 voting options.
  • Avoid duplicate options – Don’t include the same option multiple times, as this may split votes.

Here is an example of a properly formatted poll:

/poll What should our next game night theme be? | 1980s night | Hollywood glam night | Black & white formal night | Neon colors night

Editing or Deleting a Poll

If you need to edit a poll or delete it entirely, use the following slash commands:

  • /poll edit <messageID> <new question> | <new option 1> | <new option 2> – Updates the question and options of a previous poll. Keep the same number of options.
  • /poll delete <messageID> – Deletes a previous poll completely.

To get the message ID of a poll, turn on Developer Mode in your Discord settings, right-click the poll message, and copy the ID.

Allowing Members to Vote

By default, all members of a Discord server can vote on polls by reacting with emoji. If you only want certain roles or members to vote, you can change permissions when creating the poll:

/poll Who should be our new server admin? | @Jane | @Bob --roles @Admins @Moderators

This allows only users with the Admin and Moderator roles to vote.

Checking Poll Results

There are two ways to check poll results:

  1. Check reactions – Reactions on the poll message will update in real-time as members vote. You can see which options have the most votes.
  2. Use poll results bot – There are Discord bots like PollBot that display more detailed poll analytics like percentages and bar graphs.

Embedding a Poll in a Message

In addition to posting a poll directly to a channel, you can embed a poll within a text message using this syntax:

Check out this poll here:

poll: What game should we play next?
1️⃣ Minecraft
2️⃣ Fortnite
3️⃣ Call of Duty

React below to cast your vote! The game with the most votes by Friday will be the winner.

This formats your poll visually within a message while still allowing votes via reactions.

Tips for Effective Polls

Here are some tips for creating effective, successful polls that get lots of engagement:

  • Ask an interesting question – Make sure your poll question is interesting and relevant to your members.
  • Limit options – Keep the number of voting options between 2-4. Too many options can split votes.
  • Set a deadline – Give a defined voting deadline to encourage quick responses.
  • Share reminders – Remind members to vote if engagement is low. Consider using @mentions.
  • Give poll feedback – Let members know the poll results and any actions taken based on their feedback.

Alternative Poll Options

If the built-in Discord polls have limitations, there are some alternatives:

  • Poll bot extensions – Bots like PollBot add features like advanced analytics.
  • Reaction roles – Use reaction roles to poll members for feedback.
  • External poll sites – Create polls on SurveyMonkey, StrawPoll.me, or Doodle that link to your server.
  • Upvote bot channels – Upvote bot channels let members upvote/downvote message options.

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